Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

“Do not, oh Bhikkhus, fill your mind with evil, unwholesome thoughts—this world is eternal; this world is not eternal, this world is finite, this world is infinite, this life belongs to this body, another life belongs to another body, the Tathāgato will exist after death, the Tathāgato will not exist after death, the Tathāgato will exist and not exist after death, the Tathāgato will neither exist nor not exist after death.

What is the reason for this? These thoughts, oh Bhikkhus, are not beneficial, are not well-suited for one who leads the holy life and do neither lead to revulsion, nor to detachment, to cessation, nor to tranquility, perfect wisdom, full enlightenment nor to Nibbāna.

You should think, oh Bhikkhus, in this way: “This is suffering”; you should think: “This is the arising of suffering”; you should think: “This is the cessation of suffering”; you should think: “This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

For what reason? These thoughts, oh Bhikkhus, are beneficial, are well-suited for one who leads the holy life and lead to revulsion, to detachment, to cessation, lead to tranquillity, perfect wisdom, full enlightenment and to Nibbāna.

Therefore, oh Bhikkhus, you should engage yourselves in the practise of: “This is suffering”; you should engage yourselves in the practise of: “This is the arising of suffering”; you should engage yourselves in the practise of: “This is the cessation of suffering”; you should engage yourselves in the practise of: “This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.”